Aaronstoodinthedoorway of Brody’s house and held out the keys to his Chevy Suburban. “I hate having to ask you to do this for me. Especially on a day like today,” he said, as he glanced up at the ominous clouds in the sky.
Brody took the keys and shook his head. “It’s not a problem. Go take care of your mom. Hopefully, she didn’t hurt herself too badly.” He nodded at his nephews, both sitting in the living room, watching a cartoon on the television. “It’ll be a great excuse to get them out of the house for a few hours.” Brody’s phone chirped, and he looked down to see a text message from Aaron with a screenshot filled with details.
“That’s got all the transport information from the sending rescue organization. You’ll be meeting a blue Honda CRV at Marla’s Cafe in Schulenburg. That’s halfway between here and Houston. Marla’s got great pies, so if you get there early, stop off and grab a slice.” Aaron laughed. “Just don’t forget the puppies.”
“Oh, I won’t. I’ve got to admit, I’m looking forward to getting some new dogs.” All three of their service dogs in training recently graduated and moved on to life with their new owners, ready to provide service for injured vets. The house felt empty without them, but then Audra made contact with a rescue in Houston who had a litter of golden retrievers looking for homes. They’d agreed to pull three of them. “We’ve never been able to work with dogs this young before.”
“I’m excited to see what it’s like, and how quickly they learn.” A car horn beeped, and they both turned toward the driveway where Audra waited in her car. “I guess I’m being summoned. Call me if there’s any trouble.” Aaron waved at the boys. “You guys help your uncle with those new dogs for me, okay?”
Jace and Jonah nodded and waved back. Brody’s heart ached when he saw their faces, still clouded with doubt and worry. “They’re my special helpers today. I know I couldn’t take care of three puppies without them.”
An hour later, Brody and his nephews were on the road, Peach curled up comfortably in the passenger chair. “Are all the dogs going to ride in that?” Jace pointed at a large crate in the very back of the suburban.
Brody pivoted from the driver's seat and looked behind him where the boys sat. “That’s the plan. There’s plenty of room in there, and if one of them needs to stretch their little legs, we can pull them out and let them sit on your lap for a bit.” He’d hoped that last comment might elicit a reaction from Jonah, the elder, quieter brother. But the young boy just nodded and turned to look out at the scenery as they drove.
The rain resumed, harder this time, and Brody flipped on the windshield wipers. “Oof. I think the temperature’s dropped since we started this morning. It’s going to be a chilly night tonight. Might need to keep the new dogs inside with us. What do you think?”
“How long are they going to stay?” Jace asked, looking out the window at the cars flying past them on the highway.
That was a good question. Brody shrugged. “They’re on the young side, only about two months old from what we hear, so we’ll keep them at least a few months before we start really training them to work. It’ll give us time to check their temperament and make sure they’re the right kind of dog.”
Jace turned toward Brody. “Right kind of dog? What does that mean?”
“Well, we need dogs that’ll be alert, but not watching everything around them. They’ve got to stay focused on their handler and keep’em safe and healthy. And the dogs need to be… trainable. Sometimes a dog isn’t interested in working, no matter how many treats or rewards you offer.”
“What happens if the dogs aren’t—” Jace scrunched his face, seeking the right word.
“Trainable?” Brody asked.
“Yeah.”
Brody thought about it. “We’ll still make sure they know basic commands. Sit, stay, stuff like that. Then we’ll offer them to families as companion animals. Sometimes people need dogs for things like anxiety or to keep them from being so alone.”
Jonah broke his silence. “Is that like us?”
Brody’s heart stopped at Jonah’s question. “You—you’re not alone, boys. You’ve got me. And I promise you, I’m going to take care of you until your mom comes down here to stay with us. She loves you; you guys know that.”
Jace nodded, but Jonah just kept looking out the window.
The rain tapped against the windshield, and Brody sighed.
Had he handled Jonah's question the right way? He bit his lip and wondered what he should have said instead. Or maybe it wasn't something for him to share, not yet at least. Maybe a professional, like a counselor or psychologist, could help him navigate these feelings.
Thoughts flew fast through Brody’s head as he drove, and he almost didn’t notice the minutes passing, and soon they made it to Schulenburg. A quick glance down at his phone reminded him of the name of the restaurant, and sure enough, there it was. “We’re here.”
It was a little early and Brody had planned on taking the boys inside for some pie, but as he drove into the parking lot, he spotted a Honda CRV already parked. “I guess they made it early, too.” He pulled in next to the car and turned off his engine. “Guys, it’s still raining, so wait here in the car, okay? I’m going to get the dogs moved as quick as I can.”
Brody tugged his hoodie over his head and opened the door, and saw the other driver do the same. “Terrible day to be doing this, right?” Brody walked to the back of the CRV and looked up. “Oh.”
It was Diego.
Large brown eyes stared back at him in shock under a dark red hoodie. “Hey,” Diego said, his voice a little breathless.
A moment passed before Brody said anything, memories of their past playing out in his mind like a movie. That first awkward, thrilling kiss when they were meant to be studying for exams came flooding back to him. How could he have known that it would be Diego Duarte, his first love—his only love—standing there in front of him in the rain? A nervous knot rose inside his throat, and he felt the heat rise on his face even as water spilled from the sky and trailed down his cheeks. “I—I didn't know it would be you.”
“Yeah.” Diego looked almost as astonished as Brody did, rain dripping from their faces as they just stood there in front of each other. He could hardly move, hardly speak or take a breath. How long had it been since the night that changed his life so drastically—around ten years? He opened his mouth to ask the inevitable question. “Um, how are you?”
“Good, good,” Diego replied.
